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Austin Energy Issuing Rebates For Electric Car Charging Stations

A Chevy Volt charging station on display outside the Austin Convention Center during SXSW 2011.
Photo by Nathan Bernier for KUT News
A Chevy Volt charging station on display outside the Austin Convention Center during SXSW 2011.

The city's public utility, Austin Energy, will issue its first rebate check tomorrow for a homeowner who installed an electric vehicle charging station. The rebates are worth up to $1,500. A "Level 2" charging station can be installed for about $2,400.

Level 2 charging stations can "fill up" a Nissan Leafin six to eight hours, and charge aChevy Volt in three to four hours, according to Austin Energy. The utility says it costs about 2.5 cents per mile to run an electric vehicle on Austin Energy's electricity.

Anyone who receives an Austin Energy's rebate for a charging station must also take part in a three year program to study the impact of electric vehicles on the city's energy grid.

Austin Energy has a press conference scheduled for tomorrow at 11:30 am to present the rebate check and show the charging station in the homeowner's garage. 

The US Department of Energy maintainsa list of incentives in Texasfor buying and using alternative fuel vehicles.

Nathan Bernier is the transportation reporter at KUT. He covers the big projects that are reshaping how we get around Austin, like the I-35 overhaul, the airport's rapid growth and the multibillion dollar transit expansion Project Connect. He also focuses on the daily changes that affect how we walk, bike and drive around the city. Got a tip? Email him at nbernier@kut.org. Follow him on Twitter @KUTnathan.
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